2025 Championship Predictions

[fevnut]

Sometimes clubs sign a lot of players and their squad looks good on paper but it is not until the season has gone some way that it becomes apparent whether all those signings blend into producing a good TEAM.

Edited November 20, 2024 by fevnut

[The Phantom Horseman]

2 hours ago, Keep The Faith said:

Every fan of every club is gonna say there team is better than last year - no offence but not even the coaches or players know if they will be better than last year until Easter when we will see who is the front runners or not on form… it’s played on the pitch not paper, all a team needs is plenty of injuries or lack of form and they struggle 

Yep...add to that fans tend to overestimate the positive impact of new arrivals and underestimate the negative impact of departures.

Also, pre-season can create false expectations in non-competitive games...at Fev we still shudder about 2014 (the Bastian year when we got Flanagan, Moore, Hirst and Walmsley from you plus a number of other signings)... we marched triumphantly through the pre-season, beating Wakefield and putting 50 past Hull...then we went to Dewsbury for the opening league game and got beat.

 

[Monkeymagic22]

I can see what people are saying, but generally money talks, and a bigger expenditure equates to a higher league position. Given recent signings, surely a top 4 position should be the minimum target.

[The Phantom Horseman]

31 minutes ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

I can see what people are saying, but generally money talks, and a bigger expenditure equates to a higher league position. Given recent signings, surely a top 4 position should be the minimum target.

Surely we of all clubs know it doesn't work like that? The team that lost twice at home to Batley in 2022 probably cost 4 or 5 times as much as our opponents.

[Monkeymagic22]

6 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Surely we of all clubs know it doesn't work like that? The team that lost twice at home to Batley in 2022 probably cost 4 or 5 times as much as our opponents.

When was the last season that the top spending team didn’t finish top?. Obviously in one off matches it’s not always the same though.

[The Phantom Horseman]

6 minutes ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

When was the last season that the top spending team didn’t finish top?

Fair point, but in recent years, there has been one team, or occasionally two (as in 2022 with us and Leigh) that has patently spent far more than everyone else ie 2 or 3 times more than everyone else. I don't think it will be like that next year and I don't think we will be anywhere near our spending of 2022 or 2023 -  I'd say it's possibly only Tuimavave of our new signings who will be on big money.

Not suggesting top 4 isn't a realistic target though, that would represent a step forward from 2024

[marklaspalmas]

As pre-season is underway and squads start to be finalised, Championship 2025 looks intriguing.

Normally you'd expect the side coming down to be a strong frontrunner for the title, if not nailed on.

That appears not to be the case with London, who could be pretty good, or may tank.

Likewise, teams coming up often struggle. many will tip Hunslet to go down, but Oldham look different gravy and definitely have Top Six ambitions, if not higher.

Bradford, Featherstone and York all look at least as good as last year. I think Toulouse will be too.

Widnes have made changes upstairs and will hope to make the six. Not sure about Halifax. Sheffield have had problems with Aston, but when that's finally put to bed, they'll be competitive once again. Batley are never easy beats. Doncaster had a solid first year back in the Championship. Barrow go about their business in a tidy fashion.

The Top Six play off for the title after 24 matches in 26 rounds.

7th, 8th and 9th finish for the year.

10th, 11th, 12th and 13th will be involved in a protracted playoff system with the Top four of League 1 to see which 3 clubs out of those 8 will be in Championship 2026.

[TrueBull]

On 20/11/2024 at 14:26, Monkeymagic22 said:

I can see what people are saying, but generally money talks, and a bigger expenditure equates to a higher league position. Given recent signings, surely a top 4 position should be the minimum target.

The most important thing is Full time. The full time team generally finishes top. 
Part time teams have some built inconsistency, regardless of spend

[coolie]

On 20/11/2024 at 14:26, Monkeymagic22 said:

I can see what people are saying, but generally money talks, and a bigger expenditure equates to a higher league position. Given recent signings, surely a top 4 position should be the minimum target.

Don't start bigging your lot up, we know how it ends when you do, your aim is a top 6 finish, anything above is a bonus. 

Aim low and success tastes sweeter

[Fevrover]

2 hours ago, coolie said:

Don't start bigging your lot up, we know how it ends when you do, your aim is a top 6 finish, anything above is a bonus. 

Aim low and success tastes sweeter

If you don't aim high  what's the point of competing? 

[georgeb1]

12 hours ago, coolie said:

Don't start bigging your lot up, we know how it ends when you do, your aim is a top 6 finish, anything above is a bonus. 

Aim low and success tastes sweeter

Didn't do your lot much good

[coolie]

13 hours ago, georgeb1 said:

Didn't do your lot much good

We got what we needed

A entire rebuild

A lot of those players had been relegated twice in 3 years 

For things to change 

You've to make changes

And we have onward & upward 

[coolie]

23 hours ago, Fevrover said:

If you don't aim high  what's the point of competing? 

If you think your going to win every game.. You'll be disappointed 

If you think your going to win the league.. You'll be disappointed 

If you think your going to be world beaters.. You'll be disappointed 

If you think your team will be bottom of the league.. No disappointment here as you won't be... 

Keep it achievable 

Top 6 is your goal and you shouldn't be disappointed 

Keep it real

Edited December 3, 2024 by coolie

[Fevrover]

10 hours ago, coolie said:

If you think your going to win every game.. You'll be disappointed 

If you think your going to win the league.. You'll be disappointed 

If you think your going to be world beaters.. You'll be disappointed 

If you think your team will be bottom of the league.. No disappointment here as you won't be... 

Keep it achievable 

Top 6 is your goal and you shouldn't be disappointed 

Keep it real

Which team wins every game ? Not even Wigan do.

I don't expect to win the league but you've got to think you've got a chance .

Pointless going if you've no ambition, you're used to being poor we're not ( well last season)  .

[andyacko]

Top Six in no particular order -  Bradford, Featherstone York, Toulouse, Oldham and anyone of about 6 but possibly Doncaster.

[Indigogo]

4 hours ago, andyacko said:

Top Six in no particular order -  Bradford, Featherstone York, Toulouse, Oldham and anyone of about 6 but possibly Doncaster.

I agree with those 5. Maybe Sheffield the other play off side now they've got Lingard in as coach, though he has openly admitted they're behind everyone else already so it might be a slow start for them. 

[sentoffagain2]

   Don't think Bradford will finish top  or Oldham in the top 6.

[Fevrover]

4 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   Don't think Bradford will finish top  or Oldham in the top 6.

What makes yer think that ? Apparently both have spent well. I know that doesn't guarantee anything but just interested why you think that ( there's not much else to talk about lol).

[sentoffagain2]

6 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

What makes yer think that ? Apparently both have spent well. I know that doesn't guarantee anything but just interested why you think that ( there's not much else to talk about lol).

 No stand out teams like the last few seasons Fev Leigh, Toulouse always seem to be 2nd or 3rd best but can beat the top teams on their day.Just can't see a Noble coached team finishing top.Well past his sell by date he plays not to lose rather than to win.

[TrueBull]

On 04/12/2024 at 19:13, sentoffagain2 said:

 No stand out teams like the last few seasons Fev Leigh, Toulouse always seem to be 2nd or 3rd best but can beat the top teams on their day.Just can't see a Noble coached team finishing top.Well past his sell by date he plays not to lose rather than to win.

That's a bit simplistic. Looking at our squad, he seems to have done similar to 20yrs ago - a mainly English pack - (and he's a great forwards coach) and a mainly Aus/NZ/Pacific back line - currently Taufua, Okunbor, Armitage, Blake - and we've got Keith Senior as a backs coach by the looks of things. There is the possibility that we could have quite decent strike in the outside backs. There has been a bit of turnover though, so possibly some gelling needs to happen. I'm quietly confident we can improve on 3rd place. But there has been a change of personnel and coaching style. 

[TrueBull]

My other question was, for you guys, what are you thinking for Oldham? They have put together a good looking squad, but it is all on Longy to make it work. And you've the most recent knowledge of Longy as a championship coach. I thought he was doing a good job for you before he got sacked. But I'll take your assessment over mine....

[Monkeymagic22]

30 minutes ago, TrueBull said:

My other question was, for you guys, what are you thinking for Oldham? They have put together a good looking squad, but it is all on Longy to make it work. And you've the most recent knowledge of Longy as a championship coach. I thought he was doing a good job for you before he got sacked. But I'll take your assessment over mine....

We were winning under Long, but weren’t playing very well. Personally, I don’t think that we would have won the Grand Final if he had stayed. Maybe it was the circumstances and maybe he’s a better fit for Oldham.

[sentoffagain2]

47 minutes ago, TrueBull said:

That's a bit simplistic. Looking at our squad, he seems to have done similar to 20yrs ago - a mainly English pack - (and he's a great forwards coach) and a mainly Aus/NZ/Pacific back line - currently Taufua, Okunbor, Armitage, Blake - and we've got Keith Senior as a backs coach by the looks of things. There is the possibility that we could have quite decent strike in the outside backs. There has been a bit of turnover though, so possibly some gelling needs to happen. I'm quietly confident we can improve on 3rd place. But there has been a change of personnel and coaching style. 

  I don't think it does Bradford any favours playing at the dump of a ground Odsal.If you could find a ground to hold 12000 with better facilities i am sure the team would perform better and increase support.Bradford are a SL team in waiting but would have had a much better chance with promotion not the IMG  scoring system.As  with all Championship clubs they would need a cash injection of at least £2million and who will invest in a project unlikely to make a profit when they can get 5% in the bank.I still think Bradford will not finish top although i do expect them to finisher higher than Fev.

[The Phantom Horseman]

5 hours ago, TrueBull said:

That's a bit simplistic. Looking at our squad, he seems to have done similar to 20yrs ago - a mainly English pack - (and he's a great forwards coach) and a mainly Aus/NZ/Pacific back line - currently Taufua, Okunbor, Armitage, Blake - and we've got Keith Senior as a backs coach by the looks of things. There is the possibility that we could have quite decent strike in the outside backs. There has been a bit of turnover though, so possibly some gelling needs to happen. I'm quietly confident we can improve on 3rd place. But there has been a change of personnel and coaching style. 

That's a fair summary I think. Bradford really ought to roll most teams physically next year given the strength of contact they have in the backs now as well as the forwards. For me the question is going to be discipline, I think that cost them a few games last year.

[The Phantom Horseman]

21 hours ago, TrueBull said:

My other question was, for you guys, what are you thinking for Oldham? They have put together a good looking squad, but it is all on Longy to make it work. And you've the most recent knowledge of Longy as a championship coach. I thought he was doing a good job for you before he got sacked. But I'll take your assessment over mine....

For me the jury is still out on Long and this season will tell us a lot more - that might strange after he's guided 2 teams to runaway league leadership trophies in successive years, but both at Fev and at Oldham he had by far the most talented squads in their respective divisions.

It's really difficult to assess his time here because we don't get to see the training sessions etc (as always there were rumours flying around but it's hard to know what to believe). We steamrollered most of our opponents in 2023 yet often it seemed to be just because individual players were just getting the better of their opponents, even some of our big-margin wins weren't especially impressive in terms of team performance in my view, and we looked consistently vulnerable in certain areas. After we had lost to London in the play-offs Mark Campbell said he wished he had replaced Long with Ford earlier.

Long again has a massively talented squad and one that is almost a copycat of the Fev blueprint of the previous couple of years - indeed they have six members (temporary or permanent) from our dominant squad of 2023, and have added the likes of Iain Thornley, Gil Dudson, Matty Ashhurst, Adam Lawton, Adam Milner, Josh Drinkwater etc. They're sure to be in the top 3 spenders in the division on that evidence, so it will be interesting to see what Long can get out of them.

Edited December 13, 2024 by The Phantom Horseman